Installation, maintenance and repair
Farm equipment mechanics and service technicians
Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul farm machinery and vehicles, such as tractors, harvesters, dairy equipment, and irrigation systems.
Median pay
$56,550
Growth to 2035
+11%
faster than average
Openings a year
3,700
Time to qualify*
12 months
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Farm equipment mechanics and service technicians
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
- Prior experience
- None
Calculate your switch to farm equipment mechanics and service technicians
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Outdoors in all weather
Hazardous conditions
Farm equipment mechanics and service technicians: 43% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core tasks
- Reassemble machines and equipment following repair, testing operation and making adjustments, as necessary.
- Maintain, repair, and overhaul farm machinery and vehicles, such as tractors, harvesters, and irrigation systems.
- Examine and listen to equipment, read inspection reports, and confer with customers to locate and diagnose malfunctions.
- Record details of repairs made and parts used.
- Dismantle defective machines for repair, using hand tools.
- Clean and lubricate parts.
- Repair or replace defective parts, using hand tools, milling and woodworking machines, lathes, welding equipment, grinders, or saws.
- Test and replace electrical components and wiring, using test meters, soldering equipment, and hand tools.
Also called: Agricultural Mechanic (Ag Mechanic) · Agricultural Service Technician (Ag Service Tech) · Dairy Service Technician (Dairy Service Tech) · Farm Equipment Mechanic · Farm Equipment Service Technician (Farm Equipment Service Tech) · Field Mechanic · Field Technician (Field Tech) · Mechanic
Outlook and AI
Farm equipment mechanics and service technicians held 41,900 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 46,400 by 2035 (+11%, faster than average; all jobs: +3.5%).
Compare with
- Farm equipment mechanics and service technicians vs. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Farm equipment mechanics and service technicians vs. Industrial machinery mechanic
- Farm equipment mechanics and service technicians vs. Outdoor power equipment and other small engine mechanics
- Farm equipment mechanics and service technicians vs. Maintenance and repair workers, general
- Farm equipment mechanics and service technicians vs. Engine and other machine assemblers
- Farm equipment mechanics and service technicians vs. Electric motor, power tool, and related repairers
- Farm equipment mechanics and service technicians vs. Maintenance workers, machinery
- Farm equipment mechanics and service technicians vs. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Farm equipment mechanics and service technicians vs. Millwright
- Farm equipment mechanics and service technicians vs. Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers